Eight amazing archival photos from Toronto’s immigrant past

Toronto has always been a destination for immigrants and exiles, from European settlers and escaped American slaves to Syrian refugees and Trump dodgers. Settling in Toronto, an exhibition at the Market Gallery on display from March 25 to July 15, tells the story of new Canadians from all over the globe through video footage, oral histories, historical artifacts, letters and archival photographs. Here, a few of our favourite images from the show.

Union Station • 1910

Toronto experienced a surge of immigration from eastern and southern Europe just before WWI.

High Park • 1919

This shot of the Chinese-Canadian Boy Scouts was taken just before the government clamped down on Chinese immigration.

Danforth Avenue • 1930

The Greco family ran an Italian food store on the Danforth. Sample price: 15 cents for a basket of apples.

Location unknown • 1919570

Hungarian immigrants arrived wearing ID tags. The diaspora grew after the country’s 1956 revolution.

Terauley Street lodging house • 1913

Six Polish men shared this room in the Ward, a densely populated immigrant neighbourhood along the Yonge-University corridor between College and Queen.

O’Neil playground • 1914

European children practised folk dances in public playgrounds to preserve their culture.

Varsity Stadium • 1967

Toronto’s Caribbean community created the first Caribana parade as a gift to Canada for its centennial year.

Ukrainian Labour Temple Association • circa 1924

A group of Ukrainian children in a mandolin orchestra pose for a class photo.